Bacterial endospores are highly resistant, thick walled structures formed by vegetative cells during a process called sporulation, and they are quite possibly the most resistant forms of life (Hindle and Hall, 1999 Analyst, 124, 1599-1604). They are highly resistant to radiation, chemical agents, desiccation, and other normally harmful environments (Nicholson, W. L. et al. 2000. Microbiol Molecular Biol. Rev., 64, 548). Several bacterial genera are capable of producing endospores; Bacillus and Clostridium are the two most common endospore-producing genera. Within the Bacillus genus is the species Bacillus anthracis the causative agent for anthrax.
Current methods for rapidly detecting airborne bacterial spores that can carry toxins, such as those that cause anthrax, are prohibitively costly to implement and maintain. Additionally, the present monitoring methods are limited by the use of species-specific antigens and DNA probes, which would not detect a seemingly benign species that is modified to carry the anthrax toxin (Koehler, T. M. 2002. Current Topics in Microbiology & Immunology, 271, 143-164; Uchida, I. 1991. J. Bacteriol. 175, 5329-5338).
Therefore, what is needed is an automated apparatus for rapidly detecting bacterial spores that is less costly and not limited to a particular species or DNA sequence.